After an unlikely inaugural season in the SEC, Texas A&M may have the tools and personnel in place to duplicate that performance. Following an 11-2 season that featured shocking Alabama in the regular season and dismantling Oklahoma in their first bowl appearance as an SEC team, the Aggies must prove they deserve their ranking going into the new season.
Even though they lost several senior team leaders at the conclusion of the 2012 season, the Aggies still have 6 starters returning on both sides of the ball. The strength of the offensive line, anchored by tackle Luke Joeckel, allowed the offense to run or pass virtually at will, but Joeckel is gone this season and Coach Kevin Sumlin is looking to All-American senior Jake Matthews and junior Matt Joeckel to step up and protect Heisman winning sophomore quarterback Johnny Manziel as he hands off to senior running back Ben Malena, who averaged 6 yards per carry last season. Manziel is capable of running for huge chunks himself, as we've seen, but can also throw, and will look to senior receiver Mike Evans to give the Aggies their dangerous, multi-dimensional offense. It remains to be seen who will join Evans as a leader in the receiving corps.
The defense hopes to improve on the previous season after seeing the secondary allow 250 passing yards per game. Luckily, both 2012 starting corners, sophomore De'vante Harris and junior Deshazor Everett return and look to step up as leaders of the defense. Weak side linebacker Steven Jenkins, senior, hopes to slow the running game and offer pass coverage support to Harris and Everett, while senior free safety Tony Hurd will attempt to stop the hemorrhage of passing yards in the secondary.
With losses to Florida and LSU and a signature win on the road against Alabama, Texas A&M looks to have the firepower to compete once again in arguably the toughest division of a top-tier conference while hoping to move into National Championship contention. Coach Sumlin seems to have no trouble motivating his offense to put up lots of points, and it's possible that the defense may have the necessary experience to stop opposing teams from scoring this season.
The Aggies are in a prime spot to avenge at least one of their two losses from 2012, and possibly to catch everyone off guard with another surprising win. If the stars continue to align, Texas A&M will most likely find themselves in the title discussion. The question is, can they handle that kind of pressure?
- Kevin Hicks
@kevinhicks77
kevin.projectcfb@gmail.com
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